Autumn
by indianpipe
Summary: SSHG set 5 years after the war. DH compliant, with spoilers. Hermione struggles with secrets and Snape's view of the world begins to change color.


AN: Characters belong to J.K.R and her affiliations; this is only for fun, never money.

This is an SSHG story with DH spoilers and an attempt at a continuation of the story.

Autumn

We are 5 years past the final battle, Snape has survived Nagini's venom by ingesting an experimental anti-venom potion hours before his interview with Voldemort. One-year prior a note had been left on his desk to begin experimentation on such a potion, suggesting that it may be needed. Harry and Ron have finished their Auror training and now work for the Ministry. The last five years have been spent tirelessly rebuilding the castle, tending to the families who have lost loved ones and tracking down missing deatheaters, all through this Snape has remained headmaster. Hermione, in the mean time, has apprenticed under Slughorn, who was persuaded to remain for a few more years. She has also aided in the rebuilding of the castle and tending to the post war wounded, this will be her first year taking over the potions position due to the permanent retirement of her master, Professor Slughorn. Her first school year as Potions mistress is well under way….

Besides the autumn poets sing,  
A few prosaic days  
A little this side of the snow  
And that side of the haze.  
Emily Dickinson

McGonagall sips her scotch in her embroidered armchair, elbows resting on divots made in the fabric from years of use. She eyes Snape over her glass, his head bent down going over some figures she has brought in for his perusal. There usual late afternoon Friday meeting is proceeding as usual, but she can't get Albus out of her mind, all day he has been crowding her thoughts, his smile, his eyes, their laughter over a private joke. She rubs her elbows into the worn spots, thinking how young she was when they had started their professional relationship with each other…Albus as headmaster and she as deputy headmistress.

"Severus, I think this will be my last year."

Snape raises his head quickly and in a deep probing baritone questions her,

"Why?" It's not meant as a question but more as a judgment.

She laughs, knowing that he would never understand.

"I miss him, I need to get away, different surroundings."

"But surely you will miss your colleagues?" Snape is thinking of Sprout, Poppy and Granger.

"Oh we can still visit, but I find myself at times unable to push away thoughts of him and I am tired Severus. I'm feeling my age."

"That is to be expected" He gives her a penetrating look.

"It's time Severus…Slughorn knew it too, it's a new day, the wizarding world is changing and it needs younger, fresher minds to meet the challenge. I have had my days."

Snape cocked his head, it was all so confusing, and Minerva was usually all business, brusque, confident challenging. They had worked so well together in the aftermath of the war and finally had reached a state of calm. This year was to be the first in ages that the school would run smoothly and where they would even have time to evaluate and look to the future. Now of all times she wants to leave, it was wrong.

"But Minerva we have worked so hard…" in an uncharacteristic moment Snape chokes on his words, "…we have finally succeeded."

Sympathy tinted her expression but her words were just as resolved.

"And I made a promise to myself that I would never leave until that time came. It's your turn now Severus…Albus and I are expecting great things."

Snape knew by her tone that she was immovable and so again he would have to go it alone. His expression changed from moment to moment, gone were the sentimentalities.

"Well at least when you're gone the Gryffindors won't be overindulged."

McGonagall laughed and raised her glass to him.

"We must start thinking of a replacement."

"Yes thank you so much…wanted: Head of House for Gryffindor and Seasoned Transfiguration Professor…Oh and don't let me leave off…Deputy Headmistress for large private wizarding school." Snape bit out the last description.

Minerva chuckled at his sarcasm, which usually helped to put him in an even more foul mood.

"Now Severus remember I didn't start all those years ago with all those titles, it takes time. I think you should first focus on Transfiguration professor and then work on the others or use the staff you've got."

"Yes, Hagrid would make an excellent Deputy." He spurned.

"Oh Severus you do make me laugh." Her eyes teared up at the thought of Hagrid taking over her duties. "Now you know I didn't mean Hagrid. Hermione would be a wonderful choice. If you phrased it right she may even be talked into being Head of House for Gryffindor as well."

Snape let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh come Severus…you two get along now and she is more than competent."

Snape shook his head, "She is heavily involved in her research now and I don't think she has aspirations of ever moving into administration."

"Pish, she's never considered it… don't assume anything until you've asked her."

"She knows who her superior would be, that should be enough for a flat out no." Snape's hair drooped down, obscuring his features.

"I'm not so sure Severus, after all, you're her superior now too."

Snape stiffened and wanted to end the discussion of Hermione Granger.

"I have a year…we'll see…"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Severus thought on what McGonagall had said all weekend, he pondered the pros and cons of having Miss Granger as his number 2 in charge of the school, there was no doubt that she was definitely smart enough to handle the job. They might even make some improvements on the curricula; she had proven herself insightful in that area by reworking the Potions classes, changing the sequence and refining what and when the students learned about certain ingredients and how to brew them. This internal dialogue persisted until Monday morning where he found himself standing outside the door of her 3rd year class. He opened the door quietly and slipped in, remaining in shadows so as not to alert her or the students he was there.

"I can't emphasize enough the potential dangers in brewing the polyjuice potion incorrectly." Hermione turned to the board and wrote safety at the bottom of a very long list of instructions. She was just about to tell the students to gather their materials for brewing when a voice from the back of the room rolled over the room and froze her to the spot.

"Miss Granger you are quite right…students… your professor has done right in warning you." Snape walked up the aisles of students and held Hermione's gaze long enough to see the apprehension, he smiled sardonically at her, with his back to the class and then in a flourish he turned to the students.

"Why if someone was not careful something as innocuous as a cat hair could have disastrous results.

Hermione let out a sigh, realizing that he wasn't going to reveal that she had experienced first hand those very results.

"Yes, the headmaster is quite right. Now let's show him how efficiently we can retrieve our ingredients and begin brewing."

Once the students had scattered to the supply cabinets Hermione addressed Snape, not wanting him to think he got the better of her.

"So nice of you to drop by Professor… and provide such a vivid example for my lesson today." She smiled at him challengingly.

"Indeed, I like to be as helpful as possible." His eyes squinted with pleasure.

They held onto the moment a few seconds to long, savoring the ability to now finally find humor in the past. Hermione broke the moment first, gesturing to a pile of parchment neatly tied with string on her podium.

"I've finished the article on the efficacy of the memory potion I've been working on and the preliminary results are in from the study done at St. Mungos."

"And…" Snape queried for the rest.

"And…" she could not contain her pleasure; "…they are seeing some consistent results from those affected by prolonged exposure to the cruciatus…during the war." She fiddled with the parchments, not wanting Snape to see her trying to control the tears welling in her eyes. This small hope of helping those affected completely overwhelmed her at times.

She was however unsuccessful, and as unaccustomed to the feminine weakness for tears as he was, he changed his tone to override them.

"Why have you not sent it off to the publisher then?" He tried to sound sarcastic but it lacked bite.

"I wanted to ask you to have a look…give me any criticism you might have. I don't want it to be lacking." She looked to him, tears quelled but eyes bright.

She had changed so much from her student days, she was less sure of her knowledge and with this she had opened up another dimension to her intelligence. She was well on her way to greatness and as much as he had admitted to himself that she would easily fill the positions at Hogwarts he needed her for, he wouldn't stand in her way.

He laughed to himself at the irony as he held out his hand for the parchments.

"I have several important meetings this week I must prepare for, will early Friday afternoon suit you?" He schooled his features, more appropriate for a headmaster.

"Fine…your office?" She was pleased and it shone in her expression.

"Mmmm…." He looked away and mumbled an affirmative; he didn't want her to catch him staring. It was normal, he mused, that on occasion he found Miss Granger attractive, after all they were male and female but allowing her to be privy to that would not be at all normal.

"Thank you professor." Hermione turned back to the board, preparing to write the homework.

He addressed the class again; " Remember that no one will be excused from classes if they turn themselves into a cat…isn't that right Professor Granger?" He headed toward the door not looking back for her reaction.


End file.
